Chrysanthemum plant named `Oberon`

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named Oberon characterized by its small sized blooms with greyed-red ray florets and prolific branching early natural season flower date of August 4-7; blooming for a period of 6 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant that is a cross of unknown Dendranthema grandiflora parents. The new and distinct cultivar was a seedling resulting from the open pollination among groups of chrysanthemum cultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, Holland in Aug., 1996. The plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Rijsenhout, Holland. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present plant is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum of a small sized bloom and greyed-red ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Dendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out doors in Rijsenhout, Holland under natural day length and temperature and planted week 22 in 1997 and 1998. The natural blooming date of this crop was August 4-7 (week 32). The average height of the plants was 20 cms. This new variety produces small sized blooms with greyed-red ray florets and yellow-green disc florets (only visible at an early stage of inflorescence).

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish Oberon as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations (color designations are from the R.H.S. Colour Chart) are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances.

    ______________________________________                                         Botanical Classification                                                       CULTIVAR  Oberon                                                               ______________________________________                                         Bud                                                                            Size             SMALL                                                                          CROSS SECTION ±                                                             1.0 CM                                                                         HEIGHT ±1.0 CM                                             Outside Color    RED 51 D                                                      Bloom                                                                          Size             SMALL                                                         Fully Expanded   4-41/2 CM                                                     Borne (number of UPPER AND LOWER                                               blooms per branch)                                                                              PORTION PLURAL                                                                 BLOOMS PER                                                                     BRANCH                                                                         (APPROX. 6 BLOOMS)                                            Length of lateral                                                                               FROM TOP TILL                                                 branch           BOTTOM                                                                         APPROX. 10.0 CM                                               lateral branch,  WEAK                                                          attachment                                                                     Branching        Prolific with 6-8                                                              breaks after pinching                                         Form             DECORATIVE                                                    Performance (on the                                                                             6 WEEKS                                                       plant)                                                                         Color                                                                          Disc florets     At an early stage                                                              of inflorescence, yellow-green                                Color of the upper                                                                              Greyed-red 179 C                                              surface of the   near the center,                                              majority of the ray-                                                                            the outer ray                                                 florets          florets greyed-red                                                             182 D                                                         Color of the lower                                                                              ORANGE 27 B TO                                                surface of the   GREYED PURPLE 185                                             majority of the ray-                                                                            D AT THE TIPS                                                 florets                                                                        Tonality from    A COMPACT GARDEN                                              Distance         MUM WITH GREYED-                                                               RED BLOOMS AT A                                                                MATURE STAGE OF                                                                INFLORESCENCE AND                                                              A YELLOW-GREEN                                                                 CENTER IN AN EARLY                                                             STAGE OF                                                                       INFLORESCENCE                                                 Discoloration of ray                                                                            TO GREYED-PURPLE                                              florets          186 D                                                         Discoloration of To yellow-green                                               disc florets     152 C                                                         Ray florets                                                                    Texture          UPPERSIDE SMOOTH                                                               UNDERSIDE SMOOTH                                              Number           ±190-220                                                   Cross-section    FLAT                                                          Longitudinal axis of                                                                            REFLEXING                                                     the majority                                                                   Shape of tip     ROUND                                                         Fragrance        TYPICAL                                                                        CHRYSANTHEMUM                                                 Disc diamter     0.7 cm                                                        (natural season                                                                crop)                                                                          Reproductive Organs                                                            Stamen           None present                                                  Pollen           NONE                                                          Styles (present in                                                                              GREEN, THIN                                                   both ray and disc                                                              florets)                                                                       Style Length     ±3 MM                                                      Stigmas          YELLOW-GREEN                                                  Stigma Width     ±1 MM                                                      Ovaries          ENCLOSED IN CALYX                                             Plant                                                                          Form             A GARDENMUM (POT                                                               MUM) MEANT FOR                                                                 OUTDOOR USE                                                   Growth           SHORT                                                         Height (from soil                                                                               ±20 CM                                                     level)                                                                         Stem Color       NEAR GREEN 137 D                                              Stem Strength    MEDIUM                                                        Stem Brittleness PRESENT                                                       Stem Anthocyanin NONE                                                          Coloration                                                                     Natural blooming August 4-7 (week                                              date             32)                                                           Foliage                                                                        Color            UPPERSIDE GREEN                                                                139 A                                                                          UNDERSIDE GREEN                                                                137 B                                                         Size             SMALL:                                                                         LENGTH ±6 CM                                                                WIDTH ±4 CM                                                Quantity (number per                                                                            10-12                                                         lateral branch)                                                                Shape            INCURVED                                                      Texture          FLESHY                                                        Ribs and Veins   RIBS AND VEINS                                                                 WELL DEVELOPED                                                Edge             CRENATED                                                      Shape of Base of ROUND                                                         Sinus Between                                                                  Lateral Lobes                                                                  Margin of Sinus  CONVERGING                                                    Between Lateral                                                                Lobes                                                                          Shape of Base    ROUND                                                         Apex             MUCRONATE                                                     ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 